Carpets and rugs have long been used to cover the ground, floor, and other surfaces. Floor coverings are not only functional in that they protect the floor, collect and retain dirt, mud and water, but they are also aesthetical. Depending on the material, the floor covering may also provide a cushion, softening the surface and thus easing stress on the user.
Floor coverings have evolved to include modular systems that can be designed on the spot for the specific application. For example, twelve 1 foot by 1 foot (about 30.5 cm by 30.5 cm) interlocking mats can be combined to form a 12 square foot mat (about 1.1 m2), either 2 foot by 6 foot (about 61 cm by 183 cm) or, 3 foot by 4 foot (about 91.5 cm by 122 cm). Such interlocking sectional matting is a popular system for customizing floor mats. Additionally, with such sectional matting systems, it is possible to replace only the worn or damaged mat sections when needed, rather than having to replace the entire mat.
3M Company has a sectional matting product line that is well recognized. Various NOMAD™ floor mats are available, with a variety of physical properties, such as thickness, mat density, material, mat section size, etc. The mats are configured to interlock, providing various shapes and sizes of matting. In one installation design, the mats are placed into a recessed well in the floor, so that the top surface of the mats is approximately level with the ground. In another installation design, where there is no recessed well, tapered or ramped edging is placed around the perimeter of the mat, to reduce the chance a user may trip on the edge of the mat. The edging is generally glued to the mat, to inhibit the mat and edging from becoming separated. Typically, when either the mat or the edging is worn or damaged, both the edging and the mat section are replaced.
The present invention provides a floor mat system that increases the benefits associated with using sectional matting.